“We’re thrilled to have our efforts recognized,” said Jo Vaughan, coordinator of military student services. “We take our commitment to our veterans and military students very seriously, and take pride in offering them excellent services.”

“Veterans and active-duty service members face unique challenges as students, from transitioning between bases and grappling with deployment to balancing work and family life upon return,” said Robert Morse, director of data research for U.S. News. “The Best Online Programs for Veterans are high-quality programs that also offer educational benefits and flexibility for veterans pursuing a degree.”

The rankings, now in their second year, were designed to help veterans identify high-quality online degree programs that suit their educational needs. The 2014 edition includes rankings for online bachelor’s programs and online master’s degree programs in business, education, engineering, and nursing.

IPFW shares third place on the U.S. News list with Arizona State University. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide in Florida took second place, with Central Michigan University listed as first.